Switch.



' No. 634,437. Patented Oct. 3, I899.

T. 'B'RALEY &. D. W. CUSTER.

- SWITCH.

(Application filed Dec. 2a, 1398.

(No Model.)

' I a I 'ffigs'sla W Q e7 INVENQIOZS 0L Nrrnn STATES PATENT Eric.

SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.'634,437, dated October 3, 1899.

Application filed December 23, 1898. Serial No."700,129. (No model.)

To allwhom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, THURMAN BRALEY and DWIGHT \V. OUSTER, residents of Proctorville, in the county of Lawrence and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switches; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to an improvement in switches, the object of the invention being to provide a switch which will be automatic in its action and most effectual when in use.-

A further object is to provide an automatic switch which will at all times (unless a train is passing onto the side track) maintain the main track open, smooth, and free from obstruction.

A further object is to so construct a switch that it will be simple in construction, easy to operate, and safe and sure in operation.

\Vith these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims. I

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view illustrating our improvements, and Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are detail views.

1 represents a main track comprising the rails to and b, and 2 a side track comprising the rails c and cl. The rail 1) of the main track and the rail 0 of the side track are provided with tongues or rail-sections b c, pivoted at their rear ends at 3 and are connected by means of any suitable tie rod or bar t. Any suitable spring 5 is disposed between the rails ct and 0, whereby to maintain the main track 1 normally open.

Two links 8 8, spaced a proper distance apart, are pivotally attached at points between their ends to two ties. Movable bars 7 7 are mounted on the ties and connected at their ends respectively to the respective ends ofthe links 8. A thin plate or strip 9 is disposed edgewise and secured to the 133.17 adjacent to the rail or of the main track, said bar constituting, in effect, a continuation of the switch-tongue or rail-section 0, but free to slide thereon. A bell-crank or cam lever 11 is pivotally connected to a block or timber 12, secured between the rails of the main track, and one arm of said lever 11 has a movable connection with one of the links 8 by means-of a pin 13, projecting from said link, enteringa seat 14 in the lever. The long arm L1 of the lever 11 is adapted to be struck by suitable mechanism on an engine or car, whereby to turn the same on its fulcrum, and thus transmit motion through thelinks 8, bars '7, and plate 9 to the switch-tongue or railsection 0 and force same against the rail a and draw the tongue or rail-section b aside, thus opening the switch and permitting the train to pass off on the side track 2. It will be seen that the plate or switch 9 is of such length that the flange of at least one wheel of the train will always bear t-hereagainst during the pas'sage'of a train, and hence maintaining the switch open until the train has passed off onto the side track, when the spring 5 will force the tongue or track-section c away from the track a and automatically open the main track 1 and prevent-any posibility of accident which might occur if the switch were left open.

It will be seen that the rail 0 where it crosses the track I) is slightly higher than the track I), and a block 14" is disposed beside the track Z). The ends of the railc are recessed, as at ff, andin the recessfone end of a bar 6 is pivoted. The bar 6 constitutes the tread portion of a rail, and its free end is adapted to project over the rail 1) and enter the recess f of rail 0. The bar or tread-rail 6 thus forms a continuation of the tread portion of rail 0 over the rail 1), so that the wheels of a train will have a free, smooth, and unobstructed passage over the rail 1) of the main track. The tread-rail e is normally maintained on the block 14: and parallel therewith, whereby to keep the main-track open and free from obstruction of any sort, and the tread-rail 6 may be operated to throw same into position across the track 17 and connect the track 0 when a train is passing onto or off of the side track by means of mechanism which will now be described.

A lever 16 is pivoted" between its ends between the tracks 0 and d, and an arm 17 con= nects one end of said lever 16 with the tread rail e. A rod 18 connects the other end of lever 16 with a bar 19, disposed parallel with and in proximity to the tread of the rail (1. The bar 19 is mounted on cranks 20, attached to the ties, so that when a car-wheel depresses it and moves it lengthwise it will operate the lever 16 to throw the tread-rail e into position across the track I). A rod 21 is pivotally secured to said lever 16 and connected with an upright arm or lever 22, pivotally supported between the rails of the track The lever 22 is provided with an arm 23, and on said arm a suitable weight 24: is secured and adapted to normally hold the bar or tread-rail e in position to open the main track.

The operation of our improved tread-rail c is as follows: It will be seen that the treadrail 6 normally rests upon the block 14 and leaves the main track 1 free from obstruction. The flange on the foremost wheel of the train will strike the bar 10 and depress same, which will operate the lever 16 to force the treadrail e into position across the track I) and connect the ends of the track 0, thus permitting the train to pass freely onto the side track, and itwill be seen that the bar 1!) is of such length that the flange of at least one wheel will bear thereon until the entire train has passed onto the side track, when the weight 24 (or we may use a spring for this purpose, if desired) will operate the lever 16 to cause the parts to resume their normal positions, with the main track clear.

Various slightchanges might be resorted to in the general form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from the spiritand scope of our invention, and hence we would have it understood that we do not wish to limit ourselves to the precise details set forth, but consider ourselves at liberty to make such slight changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of our invention.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a main track and a side track, of switch rails or tongues pivotally connected with a rail of the main track and a rail of the side track, a rod connecting said switch rails or tongues, a thin plate or strip constituting a continuation of one of said switch rails or tongues alongside a rail of the main track, means for maintaining the switch normally closed, and means for moving said plate or strip and the switch rail or tongue against which it bears whereby to open the switch.

2. The combination with a main track and a side track, of switch rails or tongues pivotally connected with a rail of the main track and a rail of the side track, a rod connecting said switch rails or tongues, two pivoted links, bars connecting said links, one of said bars adapted to move the switch rails or tongues, a pivoted lever adapted to be engaged by a projection of a train, and a movable connection between said lever and the connected bars or links.

3. The combination with a main track and a side track,of pivoted switch rails or tongues, a movable bar, a thin plate or strip secured to said movable bar, said plate or strip bearing against-one of said switch rails or tongues and constituting a continuation thereof, and means connected with said movable bar for throwing the switch.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THURMAN BRALEY. D. \V. CUSTER.

\Vitnesses:

J. H. PARKER, O. E. WALTERS. 

